Andrea Palo

Obituary: Andrea Elizabeth Kubatek Palo, 61, of Concord passed away Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at her home after a battle with cancer. A funeral mass will be held at 5:00 PM Sunday, September 17 at St. James the Greater Catholic Church with Fr. Jerome Chavarria C.Ss.R. and Fr. Vang Con Tran C.Ss.R. officiating. Burial will follow at a later date at the church cemetery. Her family will receive friends at Whitley's Funeral Home from 7:00 to 9:00 PM Saturday, September 16 and then she will lie in state at the church from 4:00 to 5:00 PM Sunday prior to the mass. Andrea was born March 12, 1956 in Medina NY, a daughter of the late Stanley R. and Catherine Campana Kubatek. As a young adult, Andrea was the first licensed female barber in the state of New York, working at Arto's Barber Shop in Vestal, New York; where she met her husband, Bob. She moved to this area with her husband in 1979 and volunteered in the public schools and was a substitute teacher. Andrea earned her A.S. in Business Computer Programing and then went on to be a licensed paralegal, working several years for Huber Engineered Woods. She then followed her heart for disadvantaged youth by becoming elected to and serving on the Cabarrus County School Board, finally becoming Director of Communities In Schools and serving there until her health forced her to retire. Andrea was a woman of strong faith and a very active member of St. James the Greater Catholic Church, where she directed the contemporary choir in the 5:00 PM mass until she could no longer stand. Her children remember Andrea as an amazing cook, always making delicious meals for the family or others in need. She never met a stranger and was selfless to a fault. Her passion for children in need and her kindness to others will always be her defining legacy. She will be dearly missed. Those left to cherish her memory include her husband of 39 years, Robert Palo of the home, her sons, Robby Palo (Catherine) of Tampa FL, Adam Palo (Aleshia) of Raleigh, 2 granddaughters, Tara and Adalina, her sister, Judith Waszak and nieces, Nicole James of Kannapolis and Stephanie Waszak of NY. Online condolences may be left at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com and in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. James the Greater Catholic Church, 880 Fawn Cir SW, Concord, NC 28025
Visitation: 7:00-9:00 PM Saturday September 16, 2017 Whitley's Funeral Home

Service: 5:00 PM Sunday September 17, 2107 St. James the Greater Catholic Church Concord, NC

Interment: Later Date St. Jame's Catholic Church Cemetery